The Following Areas Have Now Moved Onto Universal Credit

Universal Credit is almost at the end of its rollout across the UK, with the following areas now subject to the new welfare system.

The Government’s new benefit scheme sees six payouts combined into one monthly payment for claimants. Universal Credit includes housing benefit, which means if you have tenants in receipt of the payment, they may have moved onto the new system.

We have been reporting on the areas that now use Universal Credit since the start of the year. For the previous postcode areas, see our most recent piece: /many-housing-benefit-tenants-wales-now-subject-universal-credit/

Another significant change that Universal Credit enforces is that tenants will now be paid housing benefit directly, rather than it automatically going to their landlord. If you have housing benefit tenants, be aware that they will now be responsible for paying the benefit to you.

If you are worried about your tenants falling into rent arrears during the change, you can protect your investment with the ultimate peace of mind cover – rent guarantee insurance. This will ensure that you still get paid, even if the tenant defaults on the rent.

As of 28^th March, the following parts of the country are now on Universal Credit:

• E1 6, E2, E5, E8, E9 and E20 3 in Eastern London.
• EC1V 1, EC1V 9, EC2A 2, EC2A 3, EC2A 4, EC2M 1 and EC2M 2 in Eastern Central London.
• GU34 4 and GU34 5 of Guildford.
• N1 3, N14, N1 5, N1 6, N1 7, N4, N5 2, N15 6 and N16 in Northern London.
• PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4, PO5, PO6, PO7, PO8, PO9, PO10 7, PO11, PO12, PO13, PO14, PO15, PO16 and PO17 of Portsmouth.
• RG7 2, RG7 3, RG7 4, RG7 8, RG14 9, RG19 8, RG20 0, RG20 4, RG20 5, RG20 9, RG21, RG22, RG23, RG24, RG25, RG26, RG27, RG28 and RG29 of Reading.
• SO21 3, SO24 9, SO31 and SO32 3 in Southampton.
• SP11 0 and SP11 6 in Salisbury.

From today, housing benefit tenants in the following postcode areas of Scotland will receive Universal Credit:

• DD6 in Dundee.
• FK10 3 and FK10 4 in Falkirk.
• KY1, KY2, KY3, KY4 8, KY4 9, KY5 8, KY5 9, KY6 1, KY6 2, KY7, KY8, KY9, KY10, KY11, KY12, KY15 and KY16 of Kirkcaldy.

The scheme has just two further rollouts across the country before all claimants are on the system. Look out for which areas are subject to Universal Credit next week.